1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: And welcome to episode number six of Bird Noises Mitlanta 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: Falcons podcast about football and mostly everything else. Today we're 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: joined by Falcon safety Ricardo Allen. Ricardo, thanks so much 4 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: for coming on, Thanks for having me, Thanks for having me. 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: When I said bird Noises, I saw you smile kind 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: of big. What do you What do you think of 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: that name? I like it. I like it. I was 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: beyond looked at me. I was thinking you wanted me 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: to do like a bird sound or something. I'm gonna 10 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: do that for you. Well, every time you say bird Noises, 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: we can't hear it now, but the falcon screams, oh yeah, 12 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: it just it just screamed again. Do you like the name? Honestly? 13 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,480 Speaker 1: I do? I do? Okay, I like that. I've asked 14 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: almost everybody about it, and I've had mixed reviews. Michael 15 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: Jason Jack Life, Yeah, Wildlife podcast. That's yeah. Who knows 16 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: who's coming to iTunes to uh to listen to us? 17 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: I hope they're not disappointed when it's not about birds. 18 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: All right, So I've got you here. I've got you 19 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: here for just a limited amount of time, so I 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: want to make really good use of my time here. 21 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: Am I gotta ask you first question right after the 22 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: bat been dying to ask you this. Do you still 23 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: have the black rubber wristed watch that you bought at 24 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: Walmart after you signed with the Falcons? I did not. 25 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: I wish, I wish. The thing is, my wife actually 26 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: buys me one a new one before training camp every year, 27 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: so I kind of like try to duplicate it. Yeah, 28 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: you know, it's probably been better if i'd a lot 29 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:35,559 Speaker 1: to you, but I don't want to be a liar 30 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: on the podcast. Yeah, I was gonna ask you if 31 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: I could have it. Yeah, I don't want to have 32 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: from this training account. And the second question is do 33 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: you still take eight minute lunches? Depens? Okay, depends. Sometimes 34 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: I skip them, so it's a little short. I don't 35 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: really like eating, you know, lunch right before practice, so 36 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: it's a little shorter. But you know, here and there 37 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: I always try to get Now, I try to get 38 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: my my workout in in the morning, so I still 39 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: do my grind, but it's not doing lunch time. Okay. 40 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: For those of you who are listening or watching and 41 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: don't get the reference or the significance of those two questions, 42 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: you need to go to the Player's Tribute and read 43 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: the eight minute lunch the story you wrote. Oh yeah, 44 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: I'm still doing you know, I'm still doing my same 45 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: grind I got from. There is just a different time 46 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: to it. I had to go back and reread it. 47 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: So good. I appreciate that. I appreciate it, And just 48 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: as a writer, I just curious how that whole process. 49 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: Did you write it and then the editors come back 50 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: and help you with flow at all? Or do you 51 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: just write the whole thing from beginning in and do 52 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: they kind of ye see, I want to take the 53 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: credit for that too, But I wasn't the writer for it. 54 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: The guy from Player's Tribute. Actually I was the one who, 55 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: like I saw, I talked to him. I talked through 56 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: most of the voice, and then he did to transcribe 57 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: it for me heredibly. Go right right, I'm not that good. 58 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: My wife is really good, right, But I'm more of 59 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: a speaker. I can. Well. I know I know you 60 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: appreciate good writing. I do because you are a voracious reader. 61 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: I have heard I heard you read a lot. I do. 62 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 1: That's have you ever seen me with my headphones on 63 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: all the time? Like, yeah, I wear my headphones I'm 64 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: assuming it's music, but it's not. It's always books, should 65 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 1: it know? So word is that you just are constantly reading, 66 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: and so I gotta ask you, what are you reading 67 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: right now? I'm reading like a mix um, I like 68 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: a you know, I like a little bit. I'll study 69 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: a lot of successful people. So I try to study 70 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: like the most successful people in the world and like 71 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: the books that they typically read. So I'm like really 72 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: fatuated with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, so I always 73 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: try to go and find their books. So when I 74 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: need to take my mind away from you know, football, 75 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: because I got a lot of football books, I got 76 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, sure take it, you know 77 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: to another level, like leadership books and stuff like that. 78 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: So when I'm just trying to like get away from 79 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: everything that you know, it's going on around here, Yeah, 80 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: I try to listen to So right now I'm listening 81 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: to a book called An Intelligent Investor about Benjamin Graham 82 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: and it's supposed to be like Warren Buffett's number one, 83 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: you know book that he loves more than any book 84 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: in the world because it helped him like get the 85 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: starting into like investing, understanding like companies and big companies 86 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: and being able to read like the finances and stuff 87 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: like that. So just something to challenge my mom. Not 88 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: necessarily books about or buy Warren Buffett or Bill Gates, 89 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: but the books they read. Yes, yeah, smart, interesting. So 90 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: I got to ask you this, now, what are the 91 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: five most important books you've ever read? I say the 92 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: first one that gave me UM like one of my 93 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: first books that I probably read was Rich That Poor That, 94 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: which is more like a finance book. I love the book. 95 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: I see a theme here with your books. Yeah, I 96 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: like the book Good the Great. It's another book that 97 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: UM talks about all the best companies in the world 98 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: and how did they stay to be the best beneath 99 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 1: from over like a twenty five year span. It wasn't 100 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: just UM a company that went good and then it 101 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: was great for like two or three years. It was 102 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: they went from being good, they made a change, and 103 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: then they stayed consistently great and then kept like improving. 104 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: Definitely see a theme here. My third one will be 105 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: UM I think Relentless by thing. I can't tell you 106 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: the name, but I knew it was Kobe Bryant, Michael 107 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: Jordan's UM like mental Coach and he was also their 108 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: trainer and Tims Grover. Okay, so it was relentless by Tim. 109 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: So he was one of the best ones that he 110 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: has like the these different like characteristics of maybe talking 111 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: about like an athlete. And he always talked about people 112 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: who being like closers. It's what dude, it's called like 113 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: a cleaner. It's one dude who's called like a cooler. 114 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: And you most people think it's cool to just be 115 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: like closers and that end of the game. I can 116 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: close our games. But sometimes just being a closer, you 117 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: only look forward the moments to be great. You don't 118 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: use go forward in the beginning the game and stuff 119 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: like that. Sometimes you just kind of chill around. But 120 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: a guy that was like a cleaner, he's like the 121 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: good the guy that does like all the janitor work. 122 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: He just does, you know, he's always working, always chipping 123 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,039 Speaker 1: at it, always doing everything the right way, and he's 124 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,799 Speaker 1: like a relentless fighter. From it sounds like beginning, Hey man, 125 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: I just try to look at the books and try 126 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: to see how many characteristics of you know, sometimes successful people. 127 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,279 Speaker 1: And you know, I'm a young guy and I try 128 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 1: not to um, you know, I try not to get 129 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,119 Speaker 1: too like big headed and stuff like that, and listen 130 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: to like, well everybody say from the outside. So I 131 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: always try to go and read to the books and 132 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: see if I can find like the people that I 133 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: think kind of you know, correlate to me in a 134 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: sense of like when they were young and how they 135 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: turned out to be. It's good stuff. And when you 136 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 1: you know, just looking back at your your life and 137 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: because I've been reading a lot about you lately, some 138 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: Indianapolis Star stories, some day tone a beach stories, mainland 139 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: high school they're working from, come from a long way, 140 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: some some incredible stories I'm going to ask you about here, 141 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: But before we get into that, just knowing what you know, 142 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: and if you didn't have football, I know it's so 143 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: much easier to ask this question now, probably easier to 144 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: answer now. But if you didn't have football, what would 145 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: you be doing? If I didn't have football, Because I 146 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: know your degree was, at least according to Purdue at 147 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: one point your biot said you were studying general health sciences. 148 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: And oh, by the way, you went back to Purdue 149 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: to get your degree after you started playing, which was yeah, 150 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: So what would you be doing? I probably the thing 151 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: is if I wasn't doing this, I don't know. I 152 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: try to go into something that's going to challenge me. 153 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: Maybe real estate, yeah, you know, if not, I probably 154 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: try to find my way through like the banking system 155 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: and try to see if I can do that. I 156 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: don't know, it's something that challenges me. Yeah, I'm not 157 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: big on you know, just doing things for like the 158 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: hour and just doing the same thing over and over. Me. 159 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: I would try to, you know, hopefully, you know, I 160 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: would say that if I can become successful in a 161 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: position of less than one percent, I kind of got 162 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: the mindset that I feel like I can do mostly 163 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: you know anything. But that's just my mind. Well, keep 164 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: working at it, and I keep going at it, keep learning. Yeah, 165 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: something tells me then after football, I can totally see 166 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: you still going back down to Florida or wherever and 167 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: getting into real estate. I'm already into it a little. 168 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: I was gonna go there. M I did readstory in 169 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: Atlanta Business Journal about some app or something Caribou, Yeah, 170 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: that you invested in. Yes, that's pretty cool. What's that like? 171 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: It's like what's Appeah, It's kind of like, um, it's like, uh, 172 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: let's say to view away and you travel a lot 173 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: like um, like you, yes, and if you like a 174 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: basketball player, football player, a military anyone who's away from 175 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: your kids all the time, but you actually want to 176 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: be within like the development of like your kids, and 177 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: you you like to read books with your kids. You'd 178 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: like to do stories and stuff, which I can see 179 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: you totally doing. Always. Always my babies, I want them 180 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: to be like they're gonna do something. They're gonna be 181 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: something crazy big owners or something yeah, GMS or something 182 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm problemed to be whatever, maybe a president. I have 183 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: not downloaded the app. You can download it now though, right, Okay, 184 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: it's cr ibu yes, and it's four like if instead 185 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: of just like holding a book up on like you know, FaceTime, 186 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: you actually get to like you and your baby both 187 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: get to interact within like the app from different screens. 188 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 1: It's awesome. Yea, so it is pretty cool. Yeah, well cool, Um, 189 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: all right, so I'm gonna we're gonna rewind it here, 190 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 1: go back to Florida a little bit. And I read 191 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: a story about when when you were at Purdue and 192 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: ironically you were in the midst of Perdue, was in 193 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: the midst of a six game losing streak. It's twenty thirteen, 194 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: and the story was basically about how the this moment 195 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: that changed your life. I don't know if you know 196 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: where I'm going. I got an accident. Yeah, I'm an 197 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: accident in the house. Um it was in the end, 198 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: it was your brother, Your brother, Adrian was in the house. 199 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 1: Adrian Allen an up and coming running back at Mainland. Right. Ye, 200 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: he was young and uh, you were hungry, you threw 201 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: something on the skillet. You were watching SpongeBob. I fell asleep. 202 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: Yeah you're watching SpongeBob, right, yeah. Yeah, Um, just walk 203 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: me through that moment that kind of just forever changed 204 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: your life and made you determine. Really, the piece was 205 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 1: about how, at that moment you decide you wanted to 206 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: play football. Yeah. So I come from a signal parent home. 207 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: You know, mom worked two jobs. I've never seen my 208 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: dad a day of my life, so I never really 209 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: had like a father figure. So you know, my brother 210 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: was the first to ever like think about playing sports 211 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: in my house. You know, he was older three years 212 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: older than me, so he tried to play you know, 213 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,679 Speaker 1: high school football at Maitland, which kind of like a 214 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,719 Speaker 1: father figure. Yeah, you better say yeah kind of kind 215 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 1: of sort of. He was like, Mom, yeah, we were. 216 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: We were about three years. We did everything together when 217 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: we was young. So when he started playing ball, I 218 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: was still considered I think I was still in middle school. 219 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: I was, and he at my high schools. It's tough 220 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 1: to make an on varsity like we usually signed, like 221 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: at this point in time, were signing around ten plus 222 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 1: division ones a year. So he never played Pop Warner. 223 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: He never played anything, you know, but like any kind 224 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: of football, organized football before that. So he went out 225 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: for the team and he actually ended up making it 226 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: on to varsity and was getting a chance to actually 227 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: play as a running back. And my mom come home 228 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: from I'm still just a kid, probably seventh eighth grade, 229 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: and my mom came home from work working two jobs, 230 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: and my brother come home from practice and me, I'm 231 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: a guy that like I'm I'm real quiet. I don't 232 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: like to burden anybody. I never really liked to mess 233 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 1: with people, like if I can get it done, I 234 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 1: can get it done to myself. And they both kind 235 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 1: of asked me, what I'm hungry, you know? I was like, no, 236 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,719 Speaker 1: not really, even though I was, I wasn't really good 237 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: at cooking or anything. So when they both went to 238 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 1: sleep and went to lay down, I try to you know, 239 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: cook myself, and it didn't turn out right. It actually, um, 240 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: I fell asleep and I had grease on the stove 241 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: and ended up catching them to a fire. And my 242 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: brother I can still kind of like here, you know, 243 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: like him yelling my name, you know, from the back room, 244 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 1: and he ran out, and he tried to take not 245 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: having like the education and know that you know, I'm 246 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: supposed to put a grease fire under water. It's like 247 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: everyone's natural reactions like that fire whom so he ended 248 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: up putting under the water and ended up giving them 249 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, second degree burns. And ever since then, I 250 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: felt that, you know, even though it was still early 251 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: in his career, I felt that at that point of time, 252 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: like where I'm from, like he was gonna be the 253 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: guy that actually gave us a chance to you know, 254 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: get out of our situation and get out of the hood. 255 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: So you know, and I feel like I'm meant I 256 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: set up. I just took it into my account. I 257 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: was just like, shoot, I messed it up. So now 258 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: you know, it's my turn to go, you know, do 259 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: what I do and I never played football at that time. 260 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: I never had been signed up for football or anything, 261 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:17,079 Speaker 1: and I just kind of went for it. Yeah. Yeah, 262 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: your whole life, you've been just kind of a fighter, 263 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: that's all I know. And so at Mainland High, all State, 264 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: all county. But yet through your senior year, no D 265 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: one scholarships till late in your senior year. Right, Yeah, 266 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 1: it's like that sometimes. And so that had to been talking. 267 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: I mean you were a good player. Yeah, at least 268 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: I thought I was. And I used to go I 269 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: used to go home all the time. Yeah. I used 270 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: to go home and send off my own highlights and 271 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 1: all kinds of stuff. I used to burn the CDs, 272 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: try to send them off. Nobody just wouldn't give me 273 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: a chance. Well someone didn't a big ten school, yeah, 274 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: per Due. Yeah, boiler Up took my chances down there. 275 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: Your mom's advice was take it run, go as far 276 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: you can, right. I've remember reading a quote, Yeah, you know, 277 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: that was my first time I ever leaving um actually 278 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: like coming out of Daytona Beach. Really it's my first 279 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: time I'm ever being on a plane ever, being probably 280 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: thirty minutes away from my house. It was when I 281 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: took my visit down to Purdue. So when I went 282 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: down there, I was like, that's perfect for me. You know, 283 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: I'm a guy that like, I don't really need big crowds. 284 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: I don't really like a lot of people around me. 285 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: Kind of get nervous when a lot of people around me, 286 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: So I just I just like to go and just 287 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: grind and get it on my own. You know, when 288 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: you keep to yourself all the time, you ain't got 289 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: to worry about, you know, hearing all the ups and 290 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: downs of people, you ain't got to worry about. You know, 291 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 1: you just worry about your own thoughts, worry about your 292 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: own vision. And you know, usually when once a team 293 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: offers a guy, other schools kind of jump in. Did 294 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: you get other offers late in the game, I would say, so, 295 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: I would say, I'll started getting contacted more. Yeah, but 296 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: not really, you know, I kind of I kind of 297 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: when once I committed to Purdue, I kind of left 298 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: it at that. Yeah, was it? Did you pick Purdue 299 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: just because they were the first one to kind of 300 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: really act like they wanted you. Yeah, I kind of 301 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: went the reason I wanted to Purdue because when I 302 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: went down there, they were they were one of the 303 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: first teams that you know, I'm not the tallest person. 304 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm still waiting on my gross spurt. So yeah, me too. 305 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: So they never like really asked me like they it 306 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: was every other team and I talked about it was 307 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: It's funny. It was a question that they kept asking 308 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: was do you think you could get any taller? I'm like, 309 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: I hope so, shoot, I still think I'm gonna get 310 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: a little taller. You know, I got a couple of years. 311 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: Get your sleep, yeah, lay off the coffee. Yeah, broccoli 312 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: at dinner, you know. Yeah, I'll be good. Um. Well, 313 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: you left Purdue. I don't know if it's still the record, 314 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: but you held perdue record with four interceptions return for touchdowns. 315 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: I don't know if that's still I don't know if 316 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: you still own that one. But one, Um, you win 317 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: in five nine. You left five nine, right, yeah, six 318 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: foot six foot? Yeah? You come here. Everyone knows the 319 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: story here and the whole world kind of watched it. 320 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: You're drafting the fifth round, I think pick number one, 321 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: forty seven. Yeah. Um, you played well initially in camp 322 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: and then could play better, and then you kind of 323 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: played it safe. According to your your players tribute things 324 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: and uh, you you know yet cut but then signed 325 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: to the practice squad and then you had this whole 326 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: debate whether or not you're gonna go to Baltimore stay here. 327 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: The thing that impressed me was like, you did your 328 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: homework on Dan Quinn. I know, we we got to 329 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: kind of wrap this up here, but I'm kind I'm 330 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: kind of leading this up to ye. I did a 331 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: lot of research on of course Coup, and I knew 332 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: what kind of players that he already liked, but it 333 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: was your right. Was it you that came to him 334 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: with the idea to play safety? It was kind of 335 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: like a mix combination. Okay. It was kind of telling 336 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: me that I wasn't a profile fifth for any other positions. 337 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: So I kind of because you liked those tall corners, yeah, 338 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: they like big corners. And I kind of came back 339 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: with I deal that, you know, if I'm gonna go out, 340 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: you know, if you're gonna go out, and I've always 341 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:04,880 Speaker 1: been a fighter. If I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna 342 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 1: go out on my home term, So I thought I 343 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 1: could do it, you know. And then what gave me 344 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 1: the blessing was I was able to be a rookie 345 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: again in my second year. Yeah, because you had only 346 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: played was it less than three games? Three? Okay? So 347 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: I was able to go to rookie manning camp again. 348 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 1: You know, my first time they ever seen me in 349 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: free safety and I've been there ever since. Is history? Yeah? Um, 350 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: I love the story too. People have to just go 351 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: look it up and read it. But I love the 352 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: story about when he stopped you in front of the 353 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,719 Speaker 1: room because you would say you told your I think 354 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: it was your late agent Eugene Parker, like, hey, I 355 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: don't want to be distracted. Was it Eugene or some 356 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: problems Drew that was doing my my my contractor three 357 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: year nineteen point five? Yeah, okay, so that was Drew. 358 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: But you said, hey, I don't want to be distracted, 359 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 1: so you had no ideas. And when when coach Quinn 360 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: stopped you in front of the whole team, and who's 361 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: been affected by Rico in the whole room stood up, 362 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: that was awesome. I always try to help as many 363 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 1: people as I can. The more people you help, I 364 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: feel like the easier life is for you. So do 365 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: you look at your life as someone who's constantly beating 366 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: the odds or do you look at your life as 367 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: a fighter. If you were going to describe you, are 368 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: you a fighter? Or how do you want your story 369 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:20,879 Speaker 1: to be told? And here's why I'm asking you this. 370 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: I look at myself as a fighter, Okay, I do. 371 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: I don't think I'm beating odds. I think I think 372 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: it's just kind of how my life was built to 373 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: be for me, you know. So it's like I just 374 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: feel like every challenge that I kind of bump into 375 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: it is just, you know, my little tests from God 376 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: to see, you know, how far he can actually push 377 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: me and how far I can go, you know, because 378 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: it's ain't just for me. It's for my baby too. 379 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: It's for my family and for everybody. You know. I 380 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 1: can do it for Yeah, I mean, just to sum 381 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: it up, I mean five nine kid coming out of 382 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: Mainland high, no scholarship offers till late goes to Purdue. 383 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: Purdue wasn't really great. You know that that year we 384 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: reference right, um you get here, we know this whole 385 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,959 Speaker 1: story with the Falcons and then last year against the Saints, 386 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: the Achilles injury. And by the way, if you have 387 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: not seen the two part series on the Comeback, you 388 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: need to go to land Falcons dot com and watch that. 389 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 1: So here we are, Ricardo Allen, your inspiration, to your teammates, 390 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,479 Speaker 1: to your fans, tambodies, read your stories myself. I appreciate that. 391 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: I wish you still had the black Watch. I think 392 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 1: I'm not that that organized. I know, what do you 393 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,120 Speaker 1: so right now? You guys are in a fight right now. 394 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: What does Ricardo Allen say right now to the fans, 395 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: to your teammates right now about the fight you're in 396 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: right now? Because every single time you've come out on 397 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: top and no better inspiration or no people you got, 398 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 1: you got our ears. What do you say? Just when 399 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: I study like the most successful people in the world, 400 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: the best teacher for them is tough times, you know, 401 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: and majority of the times that if you ever, you 402 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: like when I study some of the most successful people 403 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: in finances and they said, the best way I learned 404 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: how to be good with my money is because I 405 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: lost a lot of money. You know. Some of the best, 406 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: the best people who win, you know, go back to 407 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: win Super Bowls, you know. And I read a lot 408 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: about Tom Brady. I got Tom Brady booked too. I 409 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: know people probably don't like that, but he's lost before 410 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 1: and then he's learned how to win, you know, and 411 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 1: sometimes you know, Michael Jordan, you know, Michael Jordan was 412 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: one of those, you know, ones that never had to lose. 413 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: But Lebron. Thinking about Lebron, you know, he's had tough times. 414 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan was cut from his basketball team, you know, 415 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: So Lebron he's had his ups and downs. You know, 416 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 1: he started off at a place that he couldn't win 417 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:39,919 Speaker 1: with somewhere else and learn how to win, you know, 418 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: all the way and learn how to go all the way. 419 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: So it's just, you know, right now, we're just learning 420 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: who we are as people, who we are as human beings, 421 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: you know, because tough times donna last tough people to do. 422 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: So he just got to keep grinding, keep going, man. 423 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: And like I tell everybody that I walk in here 424 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: every day, like I come from worse than this, So 425 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: this is not tough times to me. Man, I got 426 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: nine opportunities. We could say we started off one and six, 427 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: but if we go ten and six, it's a better year. 428 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: You know. You just gotta be opportunistic. You gotta be 429 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: you know, you just gotta keep believing. And notice it's 430 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: never you never the race, really until you're fully done, 431 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: until they tell you can't do it no more. There's 432 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: no such thing as failure if you actually get up 433 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,000 Speaker 1: and go do it again. I love that. Hey, it's 434 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: a perfect spot to wrap this one up. I wish 435 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 1: I had about three more hours with you, but we'll 436 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 1: have to get you back on another time. I appreciate that, Carlo, 437 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 1: and thanks so much for coming out the birth license. 438 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: Thank you, Burden, like ian Riccardo Allen, appreciate you for 439 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: the Atlanta Falcons. And you are listening to Burden Nois